Electric device contact assembly

Abstract

A contact assembly for use in testing electric devices such as integrated circuits (IC's) and the like is comprised of a test socket and a corresponding carrier module for positioning the electric devices to be tested in alignment with the test socket. The carrier module is provided with a holding mechanism for retaining electronic devices to be tested in their proper position in the seat of the module, the holding mechanism being retractable so as to not interfere with the electrical contact between the socket and the electric device. In another aspect of the present invention, the contact assembly is provided with a slide positioning mechanism for slidably positioning the electronic device in its proper location on the seat of the carrier module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A contact assembly for use in connection with an electronic device test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: a test socket having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins corresponding to said test leads, said test leads contacting the signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins providing to said electric device under test stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and further providing the resultant signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   a carrier module for carrying electric devices to be tested to a corresponding test position in said electric device test system, said carrier module having seats for setting said electric devices to be tested therein; and   a hold means for holding said electric devices to be tested in said seats of said carrier module while at rest and releasing said hold from said electric device when contact is made between said test socket and said electric device under test.   
     
     
       2. A contact assembly for use in connection with an electronic device test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: a test head for testing a plurality of electric devices in parallel at the same time;   a test socket mounted on said test head and having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins corresponding to said test leads, said test leads contact with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins provide said electric device under test stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and provide the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   a carrier module for carrying electric devices to be tested to a corresponding test position in said electric device test system, said carrier module having seats for setting said electric devices to be tested therein;   a test tray for carrying and aligning a plurality of said carrier modules;   a hold means for holding said electric devices to be tested in said seat of said carrier module while at rest and releasing said hold from said electric devices when there is contact between said test socket and said electric device under test, said hold means being provided in said carrier module.   
     
     
       3. A contact assembly as defined in claims 1 or 2, wherein said hold means comprises a pair of hold bars and a pair of springs to sustain said hold bars at the upper part of said carrier module, said hold bars and said spring are provided at both sides of said seats in said carrier module. 
     
     
       4. A contact assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said spring is a flat spring. 
     
     
       5. A contact assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said spring is a coil spring. 
     
     
       6. A contact assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein said spring comprises of elastic material. 
     
     
       7. A contact assembly for use in connection with an electronic device test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: a test head for testing a plurality of electric devices in parallel at the same time;   a test socket mounted on said test head and having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins corresponding to said test leads, said test leads contact with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins provide said electric device under test stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and provide the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   a carrier module for carrying electric devices to be tested to a corresponding test position in said electric device test system, said carrier module having seats for setting said electric devices to be tested therein;   a test tray for carrying and aligning a plurality of said carrier modules;   a slide positioning means for slidably positioning said electric devices to be tested whose length is shorter than the length of said seats in said carrier module to a predetermined position corresponding to said test leads of said test socket;   a hold means for holding said electric devices to be tested in said seats of said carrier module while at rest and releasing said hold from said electric devices when contact between said test socket and said electric device under test, said hold means being provided in said carrier module.   
     
     
       8. A contact assembly for use in connection with an electronic device test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: a test head for testing a plurality of electric devices in parallel at the same time;   a test socket mounted on said test head and having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins corresponding to said test leads said test leads contacting with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins providing said electric device under test stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and providing the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   a carrier module for carrying electric devices to be tested to a corresponding test position in said electric device test system, said carrier module having seats for setting said electric devices to be tested therein;   a test tray for carrying and aligning a plurality of said carrier modules;   a slide positioning means connected to said test head at said test socket for automatically slidably positioning said electric devices to be tested whose length is shorter than the length of said seat in said carrier module to a predetermined position corresponding to said test leads of said test socket when said test socket and said carrier module are caused to engage each other, said slide positioning means comprising a slide bar for sliding said electric devices to be tested in a longitudinal direction, a pair of support cylinder for supporting said slide bar to said test head and a pair of springs for separating said electric device from said test socket after testing.   
     
     
       9. A contact assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said test socket includes the maximum number of test leads and electric pins corresponding to said longest electric devices to be tested. 
     
     
       10. A contact assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said seat on said carrier module has the maximum length sufficient to set therein the longest electric devices to be tested. 
     
     
       11. A contact assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein said slide bar includes a taper which corresponds to the maximum length of said electric device and a minimum length of electric device to be tested, and a stopper which stops longitudinal movement of said electric device so that one of said electric device to be tested meets with the predetermined end of said test socket. 
     
     
       12. A contact assembly as defined in claims 8, wherein said carrier module includes a pair of guide holes so that heads of said pair of support cylinders can go in, said heads of said pair of support cylinder and inlets of said guide holes are tapered to secure smooth positioning and insertion between said heads and said guide holes. 
     
     
       13. A method of electrically contacting electric device leads in a contact assembly for testing said electronic device by a test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: providing a test socket having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins, said test leads contact with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins provide said electric device under test with stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and provide the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   positioning a carrier module for carrying electric devices to be tested to a corresponding test position in said electric device test system, said carrier module having seats for setting said electric devices to be tested therein;   holding said electric devices to be tested in said seats of said carrier module while at rest and releasing said hold from said electric devices when contact between said test socket and said electric device under test, said hold means being provided in said carrier module.   
     
     
       14. A method of electrically contacting leads of an electric device in a contact assembly for testing said electronic device by a test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: providing a test head for testing a plurality of electric devices in parallel at the same time;   mounting a test socket on said test head and having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins, said test leads contact with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins provide said electric device under test with stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and provide the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   setting said electric devices to be tested on seats of a carrier module;   aligning a plurality of said carrier modules on a test tray for carrying and positioning said carrier modules o a predetermined position corresponding to said test sockets;   moving either of said test head and said test tray in vertical direction so that said electric devices under test and said test socket contact with each other;   holding said electric devices to be tested in said seats of said carrier module while at rest and releasing said hold from said electric device when contacting between said test socket and said electric device under test, said hold means being provided in said carrier module.   
     
     
       15. A method of electrically contacting leads of an electric device in a contact assembly for testing said electronic device by a test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: providing a test head for testing a plurality of electric devices in parallel at the same time;   mounting a test socket on said test head and having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins, said test leads contact with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins provide said electric device under test with stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and provide the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   setting said electric devices to be tested on seats of a carrier module;   aligning a plurality of said carrier modules on a test tray for carrying and positioning said carrier modules to a predetermined position corresponding to said test sockets;   moving either of said test head and said test tray in vertical direction so that said electric device under test and said test socket contact with each other;   slidably positioning, in accordance with said vertical movement of said test head and said test tray, said electric devices to be tested whose length is shorter than the length of said seat in said carrier module to a predetermined position corresponding to said test leads of said test socket.   separating said electric device from said test socket after testing by pushing said electric device with said slide bar when returning s id test head and said test tray to non-contact state.   
     
     
       16. A method of electrically contacting leads of an electric device in a contact assembly for testing said electronic device by a test system having a test signal generator and a signal comparator, comprising: providing a test head for testing a plurality of electric devices in parallel at the same time;   mounting a test socket on said test head and having a plurality of test leads and a plurality of electric pins, said test leads contact with signal leads of an electric device under test, and said electric pins provide said electric device under test with stimulus test signals from said test signal generator and provide the resulted signals from said electric device under test to said signal comparator;   setting said electric devices to be tested on seats of a carrier module;   aligning a plurality of said carrier modules on a test tray for carrying and positioning said carrier modules to a predetermined position corresponding to said test sockets;   moving either of said test head and said test tray in vertical direction so that said electric device under test and said test socket contact with each other;   holding said electric devices to be tested in said seats of said carrier module while at rest and releasing said hold from said electric device when contact between said test socket and said electric device under test in accordance with said vertical movement of said test head and said test tray;   slidably positioning, in accordance with said vertical movement of said test head and said test tray, said electric devices to be tested whose length is shorter than the length of said seat in said carrier module to a predetermined position corresponding to said test leads of said test socket.   separating said electric device from said test socket after testing by pushing said electric device with said slide bar when returning said test head and said test tray to non-contact state.